Tips and Time Savers for Dusting Your House

Dusting can feel like a never-ending job. Get to one side of the house, start back at the other. The cycle is monotonous. If you are sick and tired of moving knick-knacks and swabbing your furniture repeatedly, here are a few time saving tips.

First, change your air filters regularly on your air conditioning, heater, air purifiers, etc. When filters become clogged, you are actually propelling dust and particles throughout your house and on to your belongings.

Keep your windows closed. As lovely as a nice breeze is throughout the day, pollen, dirt, and debris are floating into your house. Without the wind to carry it, your mantle becomes it’s new home.

Brush your pets often. The hair you brush off will be less mess for you to wipe up later, and the less hair floating around your house, the less hair infesting everything in your home.

When you do dust, dust from top to bottom. Any dust you are pushing around will fall below so you are left with sparkling furniture and shelves at the top. Vacuum as soon as you are finished with a room so you don’t track dust or create a cloud that will inevitably land back where it started.

Instead of using a cloth, which pushes dust versus collecting it, purchase a dusting cloth, or use a fabric softener sheet. The anti-static cling will actually pull dust towards it. These are especially useful for window blinds.

If you want to use polish, use it sparingly so it won’t cause unnecessary build up on your furniture. If you’d rather not use chemicals, soak your dust cloth in a mixture of two cups water, two tablespoons vinegar, and four drops of lemon oil. (Courtesy of HGTV)
Wring it out and store in a glass jar until you are ready to use it.

For hard to reach places, you can either buy an extendable handled duster, or as I like to do, stick a sock or rag on a broom to hit the corners. To get behind shelves, apply the same tactic using a hanger or ruler.

For lampshades or delicate materials, try using a paintbrush. You can get into the nooks and crannies easily.

For keyboards and other electronics, use a can of compressed air. You can purchase these at any electronic store.

For sofas and chairs, use slipcovers for easy washing. For throw pillows, unzip and wash covers monthly to rid them of dust.

If you despise dusting, purchase tablecloths or table runners to place on end tables and coffee tables. Dust isn’t as noticeable on these and you can just throw them in the wash on laundry day.
By applying some of these tips, hopefully you will be able to dust less often, and perhaps simplify cleaning those areas you avoid.